May the Adventure Bring Us Closer
by Galbo
Summary: Two Pokémon, brought together by chance, ascend from their lives in darkness to take on an unfamiliar and exciting world. Follow their story as their quest to become explorers leads them to make new friends, challenge their own limits, and learn what it means to be a team.
1. Safe Travels

_Yes, I can see it now. That unmistakable shine in the distance. That must be it!_

 _Running as fast as my legs will carry me, I charge across the land. The scenery is a blur as I come ever closer to my prize. Nothing will stop me now, not when I've come so far. Hundreds of baddies stand between me and my goal. They try to stop me, make me falter, anything to break my will, but I fend them off with ease. I am powerful. I'm an explorer. I'm invincible!_

 _It's coming into view now. Plain as day! A great mound of treasure, just waiting for me to claim it. Gold in all shapes and forms, jewels of unimaginable size and color, and the fame that will come with it all; they are all mine. The world will come to recognize my greatness in the wake of this glorious discovery!_

 _Just as I near my ticket to fame, the earth before me splits open, revealing a mighty chasm. I waver, coming to a halt several paces from the gorge. It laughs at me, mocking me for my cowardice. I'm so close, I can't let it end here. No, I won't, not like this. I steel my nerves and ready myself. With what strength I have left, I sprint forward, gaining speed with each step. Upon reaching the edge of the crag, I take a mighty leap, sending myself flying toward the treasure. Everything seems to slow down as I near the shimmering bounty._

 _"...ke..."_

 _An ominous voice calls out to me from below, begging my attention. Going against my common sense, I look down, only to see the empty blackness of the abyss. The sight drains me of all my courage, every last ounce of valor being swallowed by the bottomless pit. I start to tremble._

 _"...et...ready..."_

 _That voice again. I realize I've stopped in midair. The treasure is so close, I can almost touch it. Come on, stupid arms. Do something!_

 _"...ce...ise and..."_

 _I start to plummet, as though a boulder had been tied to my leg. I only get one last glimpse of the fortune before I am engulfed by the darkness_

 _"I said...ake...now."_

 _The voice echoes all around me, taunting me for my failure. I keep falling, wind rushing against my face and burning my eyes. All I can think to do is flail my limbs in hopes that it will help. This looks like the end! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-_

 _"Wake up!"_

"Agh!" I jolted upright, my nose colliding with the blue and red figure that was lingering over me. "Gah! Ma, what's the big deal? I was having this awesome dream."

"Good morning to you, too, dearie," Mom said with a slight giggle. My face was sore from the impact, but it figures that mom seemed totally unfazed. "Well, while you were frolicking about in dreamland, you seem to have forgotten what today is. A shame, too, since you were looking forward to it." She certainly didn't look upset.

"C'mon, you really think I'd forget the day I become an explorer?" I responded rather triumphantly. Yes, today was the day. The day I left for Treasure Town.

"Now, don't go counting your Pidgey before they hatch. You have a long ways to travel first."

"Whatever, nothing'll stop me from getting there."

Ma just shook her head, "Ah, to be young again..." She trailed off, a faint smile present on her face. "I'll have breakfast ready shortly. I better not find you sleeping again." With that, Ma left me to my thoughts.

I let out a loud yawn as I stretched my joints. I kinda wished I could go back to bed, but I had to get an early start on the day. I wonder how Ma can even tell when it's morning? We live in a cave! Our home, if it can even be called that, is one of many dome-like chambers in Glimmer Cave. Not the best name, now that I think about it, since the only light we get down here is from this weird glowing moss that makes everything look green. I think Ma said it was biolumi-something-or-other.

"Damn it, I'm too tired to think straight right now."

I turned my attention to a bag next to my bed. A tattered brown sack with two straps to be carried by, it's patchy exterior bulged slightly from its contents. I'd spent the better part of yesterday preparing all of the supplies I would need. With nothing better to do, I decided to double-check what was packed.

"Let's see..." I quietly mused to myself, "One map... four days worth of food... and 200 Poké." 200 Poké, hmm? Ma must've tossed some in last night. Smiling slightly at the thought, I took out one of the gold coins and examined it closely. While not spectacular by any means, the shiny surface of the currency, spoiled only by a P-shaped indent, brought to mind the mountain of treasure from my dream. "Heh, where I'm going, I'm gonna find a lot more of this."

Ma knew that I was planning this for a while. She opposed the idea strongly at first, but she couldn't stop me forever. I had to leave the nest someday. Growing up, I had heard stories of great explorers venturing into the dangerous unknown and emerging victorious. They would overcome impossible odds, bring outlaws to justice, and gain fortune beyond their wildest dreams. I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to prove my strength to the world. I couldn't let myself live my entire life in a cave and never make a name for myself. Today, I would begin the journey to become the explorer whose name was known by everyone.

"Breakfast is ready." Mom's voice cut off my line of thought. Before I could reply, I was interrupted by another sound. In all of my daydreaming, I didn't realize how much I was starving. The grumbling of my stomach begged me to hurry over to the table, and I obeyed. Splayed before me was a wide assortment of delicious berries, ranging in color from pink to red to blue. I knew the flavor of each by now, but for some reason they looked especially appetizing today.

Wasting no time, I dug into the buffet before me. Every morsel was heavenly, and I struggled to resist swallowing each berry whole. Ma, however, seemed to be taking a more leisurely pace with her food. This would be our last meal together for a while, of course she'd want to take her time. Taking a cue from her, I slowed down, letting her enjoy this time.

"I imagine you'll be leaving once we're finished." Sheesh, when she puts it so bluntly I feel guilty.

"Yeah, that's the plan. It'd be great to cover as much distance as I can." Ma simply nodded in reply. We spent the rest of breakfast eating in silence.

* * *

"Now, dearie, are you sure you have everything you'll need?"

"Yes, Ma."

We'd long since finished eating, but I had yet to leave. Ma had been flooding me with questions, making sure that I remembered this and didn't forget that. She was stalling me, I could tell.

"You have enough Poké? You know how to tell which way is north?" She's definitely a lot less quiet than she was before.

"Yes, now can I please get going?" It was rude, I know, but at this rate the day would be over before I even left the cave.

With great reluctance, mom let out a defeated sigh. She turned away and took a deep breath to compose herself, letting silence hang between us for a moment. When she finally looked back, she had a smile on her face, but even in the dim light I could see that her eyes held a mixture of emotions. Sorrow, happiness, and everything in between was staring me right in the face.

"All right, I won't try to hold you here anymore. You want to become an explorer, and I can't keep you from doing so; I wouldn't be a good mother if I did and it wouldn't be fair to you." She almost sounded ashamed, not of me, but of herself. "I know I've held you up long enough, but please let me give you some advice before you go." I nodded, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"First of all, the map you have may be old, but it's the best way you have to navigate. If you stick to it, you should have little trouble finding your way." Seemed fairly obvious, to be honest. "Next, I assume you know the way to Glimmer Cave's market. I suggest you purchase any last-minute supplies you may need there." She paused to collect her thoughts, and I assumed that was all she wanted to tell me.

"Okay, will do." As much as I would've liked to continue chatting, I was really losing time. "Thank you for every-"

"And lastly," Ma began, completely ignoring what I was saying, "Please... please remember to visit your mother." Her eyes were tearing up as she spoke. Yet despite this, she kept on smiling.

"Of course I will, Ma." I embraced her as I spoke those words. "Thank you for everything."

We separated and I turned to leave. In the soft light of the glowing moss around us, with bag in tow, I began my venture to the world above. From behind, Ma gave her final goodbye.

"Safe travels... Ace."


	2. Sidetracked Already

Glimmer Cave was a lot larger than most would expect. This became painfully apparent about an hour after my departure. I still wasn't out of the cave.

I kept a steady pace as I moved through an illuminated passageway. I was accompanied by the screeching of Zubat flying overhead, in a rush to get wherever. Even in a cave, I wasn't alone.

Ma and I weren't the only ones living down here, not by a long shot. Many species of Pokémon could be met here, most of them looking for a quiet place to call home. We had our own little town, in a way. Composed of several enormous hollows linked together by a web of tunnels, the cave could house a decent population. As a result, some of these cavities became facilities used to meet our needs. The market was one of these additions.

"Speaking of which, mom said I should stop there," I mumbled to myself. While I knew the way, I'd only visited the market a couple of times in my whole life. I could only guess what would be available. Maybe I would find something useful. "I can make a quick stop." With that plan in mind, I took a left at a fork.

The path led me to a the chamber I was seeking. Not much seemed to have changed, from what I could remember. All around, carpets and sales booths were set up, displaying everything one could need and then some. Shop owners stood at the ready to make their sales pitches. Moving from one stand to the next, fellow cave-dwellers were buying knick-knacks to their hearts' content. Overhead, daylight streamed in through a large crack in the ceiling. Maybe that's how Ma knew what time of day it was, but that didn't matter now. The market wasn't too busy, but the constant echo made everyone's yammering annoyingly loud.

"Now I remember why I didn't come here more often..." I growled under my breath. I attempted to cover my ears in hopes of drowning out the noise. It'd probably help if I could actually reach my ears, but no such luck. "Maybe this stop'll be quicker than expected."

I headed for the nearest stand, doing my best to ignore the irritating drone. The sales 'mon was currently chatting it up with an Aggron, leaving me to browse his wares in peace. Lined up in neat rows were several seeds, shiny blue spheres, and sharpened sticks. To be frank, I didn't know what most of these were supposed to do, but I figured that they had to be useful if someone was selling them. Grabbing a few of the seeds, I worked my way over to where the merchant was restocking the display. "That'll be 100 Poké." I wasn't in the mood to argue about the price and paid up. As a bonus, he tossed in a few of the wooden spikes while mumbling something about surplus. Wow... twigs, thanks...

I was ready to leave right then, but a new sound slowly rose over the crowd. It wasn't a voice, but rather a murmur, constantly changing in tone and volume. Curious, I abandoned the stall, packing away my purchases as I walked, and hunted down the source. I found myself at the edge of small gathering at the far end of the market. I couldn't see past all the bodies, but the sound was much easier to hear. I could make out a soft tune, one that reminded me of those that Ma would hum to herself. But this... this was different. It sounded... sad I guess? Bah, I've never been good with this artsy stuff.

I closed my eyes, trying to take in as much of the melody as I could, but the moment didn't last, and the music died down to nothing. A quiet applause followed before the crowd dispersed. In their wake stood a lone Pokémon. It was about my height, with a pale yellow body. It reached down with black hands to collect a small pile of Poké on the cave floor, red eyes meeting the reflective gold before it was stuffed in a small pouch. By its side lay what looked to be a wooden thingamajig. I went to get a closer look, but the Pokémon suddenly turned around, revealing an intimidating set of jaws, complete with several pointy teeth, attached to the top of its head. Without noticing my presence, the figure picked up the wood doohickey and walked into a nearby tunnel.

I could've just left it at that. I could've just turned around and went on my way, but something in me wanted to go after that Pokémon. Maybe it was because I had never seen that species before. Maybe I wanted to know what made that music. All I knew was that the curiosity would bug me for days if I left now.

"I'm probably going to regret this." With a sigh, I entered the passage, tailing the form at a distance. The chatter of the market slowly faded to silence as we went deeper, giving way to the soft jingle of coins. I kept my steps light and made sure there was plenty of space between me and the menacing choppers. Getting bitten was the last thing I needed today.

The moss that gave us light became more scarce as we moved further along in the tunnel. With only a few patches of the stuff to navigate by, it was a hassle to see anything at all, and I wound up stumbling slightly on several occasions. Surprisingly, the one I was following, who was nothing more than a faint shadow in all of this darkness, was moving without difficulty. Nonetheless, I continued trailing the silhouette, doing my best to keep it in my sights.

We came to a new chamber, one that was dimly lit. After many twists and turns, I lost track of the other Pokémon and was left to simply wander in the near blackness. Everywhere I could see, walls of assorted junk were piled up to the ceiling, creating a labyrinth of broken wood and other trash. I had to hold back several curses to not blow my cover as I weaved through the maze of garbage. It took a little more roaming until I spied a familiar green glow emerging around a bend. Coming closer to the light, I could hear some shuffling.

I peered around the corner and saw a clearing, completely carpeted with the glowing moss. At one end were several thick books stacked in neat piles, and in the center was a worn round table with some cracked clay jars on it. Over in a corner I saw the figure, seated on the ground, counting Poké. A rhythmic, almost mesmerizing clink came as it dropped individual coins back into its bag. It looked up for a second, and I ducked back behind the wall before it could see me.

Now what? Just walk up and say hello? Seemed simple enough. I was just about to step into the green light when...

I tripped on a rock.

"Oof!" A pained groan escaped my mouth as my jaw connected with the cave floor.

"Who's there?" A girl's voice called out.

Damn it.


	3. The Intruder

"Who's there?" I called out. In one swift motion, I concealed the Poké in front of me. All was silent as I looked to where the groan had come from.

"I, uh, I mean you no harm," came a somewhat grating male voice. I stood up, readying for the worst.

"Show yourself!" I demanded.

Slowly, a blue form emerged from the darkness, one no taller than myself. A large snout was present on his face, accompanied by a small fang on either side. Topping his head were three grey ridges that appeared to extend down his back. His body looked to be about equal in size to his head, with two stubs for arms that starkly contrasted with his muscular legs. Judging by the brown straps his arms supported, he was carrying a bag.

"You're a Bagon," I noted, remembering having read about them once. I kept a careful eye on him, looking for any signs of malice.

"Ding-ding! Congratulations," he said, voice laced with sarcasm. "Whaddya want, a medal?" I sent him a look of irritation, snapping the jaws on my head for emphasis. He seemed to catch on pretty quickly. "Uh, sorry. And just what are you supposed to be?"

"A Mawile."

"Never heard of 'em." Arrogant and not one to mince words; this guy was doing me no favors by being here.

"That is beside the point, what are you doing here, Bagon?"

"I got curious."

"About?"

"A few things. You..." He began, then shifting his attention to an object sitting next to me, "And that."

It was a small wooden box, possessing an intricate curving shape. A slender piece of wood extended from one side, ending in an ornate curl. Lined along its top were four silver strings. The drab surface wasn't much to look at, but I knew from experience that it could create beautiful music.

I let my guard down slightly. He must've been part of the audience earlier.

"It's a violin," I said as I lifted the instrument from the ground. From nearby, I brought out a bow and proceeded to play a few notes. The Bagon seemed content with that little demonstration.

"Yeah, that's what I heard back at the market. How's it make that sound?" His voice sounded of genuine wonder, as if he found this little item to be the greatest discovery of his life. I shrugged, figuring that an explanation would be a wasted effort on this individual. "Well, where'd ya find something like that?"

"Here," I replied simply, gesturing to the mounds of discarded furnishings and other baubles.

"About that... Where is 'here'?" Clearly, this guy wasn't going to leave with unanswered questions.

I sighed and motioned for him to have a seat before doing so myself. We may as well get comfortable for this. I mused to myself how long it had been since I last had company, but pushed that thought aside.

The Bagon plopped onto the floor in front of me and removed his pack. After a few moments of fidgeting, he finally settled into place. Satisfied, he nodded to me and we continued our conversation.

"This is Glimmer Cave's junkyard, an area devoted to the storage of it's residents' unwanted objects. Books, furnishings, pottery: you name it, it's here. It is also my home."

"You're home? You mean you live here?" I rolled my eyes, but nodded anyway. "Where're your parents?"

"I can't recall the last time I saw them. I've been alone for as long as I can remember."

"Haven't you tried looking for them? I mean, how hard can it be to to find someone with teeth comin' outta their head?"

"Of course I have!" I snapped back, catching him by surprise. I stopped, taking a deep breath to compose myself before continuing, "Glimmer Cave is large, and trying to find any one Pokémon in it is a challenge, no matter how hard you try. For all I know, they could have left this cave years ago."

"That shouldn't stop you from trying harder," the Bagon said with a small amount of irritation. I shook my head at his efforts.

"It's all right, I try not to let it bother me anymore."

"Suit yourself."

Perhaps I'd told him too much. I had no reason to confide in this Bagon. And yet, despite his annoying quirks, he was so easy to open up to. Shaking myself from my thoughts, I quickly changed the subject. "What about you, Bagon? Surely your parents must be worried about your whereabouts."

"The name's Ace," the Bagon retorted, "I don't need some generic label, Mawile."

"It's Ruby; a pleasure to formally meet you. Now, answer the question."

"Sheesh, fine," Ace muttered, "I'm beginning my journey to become an explorer."

An explorer? I've read about those once: Pokémon who go to the great unknowns to uncover the mysteries of this world. Supposedly, every adventure held the promise of ancient riches and artifacts. The concept was intriguing, to say the least.

Ace continued, "Starting today, I'm heading for Treasure Town to join Wigglytuff's Guild." Now there was a new term.

"Wigglytuff's Guild?"

"Yeah, that's right. See, guilds are places that train Pokémon to be proper explorers, and word has it that Wigglytuff's is the best that Treasure Town has to offer. When I join them, I'll be able to become the strongest explorer ever, adventuring across the world above us and finding troves of treasure!"

No one could deny that he was passionate about becoming an explorer. Ambitious, yes, but the determination in his eyes bespoke an unwillingness to accept anything less than his dream.

"Hey, I've got it!" he exclaimed just a tad too loudly, jumping up from his seat, "Why dontcha come with me? We could become explorers together!"

"What?" I was at a loss for words. Was he really asking me, someone he had only just met, to accompany him? "Why?"

"Well, I wouldn't be asking if you weren't tough, but given that you've survived like this for most of your life, I think you qualify." Ace looked at our surroundings for a moment, "Also, no offense, your home's kind of a dump."

He certainly put that bluntly, but wasn't wrong. I'd be lying if I said that living on the bare minimum was remotely enjoyable. I suppose I'd just gotten used to it after all these years. But if I ever wanted to move on from this mess, I would have to do something with my life. If what Ace said held true, the rewards of becoming an explorer would be a definite improvement to my current conditions.

"Besides," he added, smiling widely, "it would be great to have a travel buddy."

I paused, still slightly surprised by the offer. Closing my eyes, I shook my head, thinking this all to be some dream. But there he was standing before me, that idiotic grin still plastered on his face. 'Travel buddy,' hmm? I couldn't say that I was opposed to the notion, and some help in reaching this 'Treasure Town' would be useful. Maybe it was time for a change of scenery.

Ace walked over to where I sat and extended a stubby arm. "Whaddya say, Ruby?"

I reached for his arm slowly, hesitating slightly, before pushing all doubt out of my mind.

I took his hand. "I'm in."


	4. Farewell, Glimmer Cave

"Come on... where's that Mawile at?"

Tapping my foot impatiently, I stood just outside Glimmer Cave's entrance. After accepting my offer, Ruby said she'd meet me here once she got ready. 'Only the essentials' I told her to pack, yet apparently even that takes forever to prepare. She better not have bailed without telling me.

I began pacing, taking in my surroundings to pass the time. Above ground, my home looked like nothing more than a giant pile of rubble. It was weird to think that the cavern I was in a bit ago was now beneath my feet. A sign post just a few paces away, saying something along the lines of 'Welcome to Glimmer Cave,' was the only indication that anyone actually lived here. That, and a beaten dirt path leading away from the entrance, probably the result of travellers coming and going. Everywhere else, there were just trees and more trees, and maybe a bush or two. Most wouldn't think too much of it, but the sight was new to me.

I was surprised when I first got up here, to say the least. I'd only known the near-darkness of Glimmer Cave for my entire life, but up here the sun was so much brighter than what I was used to, and there were so many plants. The sky was so blue and the air so fresh. How could anyone stay in that cave when this entire world was just a few steps away? I was itching to get going, to see more of it. Yet there I was, waiting for Little Miss Slowpoke. Leaving her behind was out of the question. After all, I did invite her, and she'd probably kill me the next time she saw me if I ditched.

With a sigh, I stopped in my tracks and looked up at the sky. It was almost midday, it looked like, a lot later than I would've liked. All of this standing around started to make my pack feel heavier, the weight beginning to do a number on my back. My stomach let out a growl, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in hours. Ugh, how much longer?

I snapped to attention when I heard approaching footsteps. Looking back to the cave entrance, I watched as Ruby came into view. She stepped out of the shade, shielding her eyes from the sunlight. She had that violin with her, kept on her back by a band of cloth that went diagonally across her body. Resting at her side was a brown bag, the violin bow peeking out of the top. How she managed to get either on, I had no idea. It must've been quite the task to get the straps over her head when there was a massive set of jaws in the way. It was only now, in the light, that I could see that she had several smudges of dirt on her, probably from living in the junkyard.

"Well, you sure took your sweet time." It was hard not to sound bitter: she'd taken the better part of an hour!

"I'm sorry, I had to make a minor adjustment to this," she said while fiddling with the large strap of the violin. I guess she was trying to find an easier way to carry that thing. "I also couldn't decide which book to pack."

"You brought a book too!" I nearly shouted, "I thought you were only gonna pack the essentials! We can't afford to have those things weighing us down."

"Well, you mentioned that you had the food taken care of, and that leaves very little in terms of necessities. I will have no trouble carrying them myself."

"All right, all right, but don't come cryin' to me when you can't deal with the load. Now let's get moving already!" I was already walking away, in a hurry to make up for lost time.

"Do you even know where you're going?"

"Of course I..." Crap. "Hold on." I retrieved the map from my bag and unfolded it, spreading it on the ground in the process. I leaned over the mess of shapes, scanning for any names I recognized. Ma wasn't kidding when she said it was old; most of it was smudged beyond recognition, including the compass rose. I turned the paper every which way, trying to make heads or tails of it all.

"Lessee, here's Glimmer Cave... I think..." I mumbled, "So... I guess that's Treasure Town?"

"Did you find it?" Ruby tried peering over my back, but I pushed her away before she could see the map.

"Yeah, 'course I did," I responded, doing my best to sound confident, "We head east."

She didn't seem to buy the act. With her arms crossed she looked me straight in the eyes. "If you say so. However, know this: if we get lost, I won't hesitate to use you as rations."

"Heheh... heh... You're kidding, right?" Turning away without another word, she walked ahead of me, leaving me to assume the worst. It could've just been my imagination, but I swear that those jaws of hers were smirking at me.

With a nervous gulp, I followed after her. "I am so screwed."

* * *

We managed to find our way to what I assumed to be the main road. It had way more wear and tear than what I saw outside of Glimmer, so that meant more Pokémon came this way, right?. I hoped that meant we were going in the right direction, but the thickening forest gave me some doubts.

Ruby was busy looking around, taking in everything as it came. I guess she was still a bit overwhelmed by the change. Heck, I'd probably have been doing the same if I wasn't more focused on the destination. Fortunately, this gave me time to calm my nerves after her earlier threat. The only down side was that an awkward silence had settled between me and her. I had expected conversation to just come naturally, but she apparently wasn't one for small talk.

"So, nice day, isn't it?"

"Yes."

See? Not even a 'lovely weather we're having' or some polite crap like that. I brought someone along to make the miles feel shorter, not drag them out. Ugh, I would have killed for something to break that painful silence, even for a second.

Grrrooowl

"Did you hear that?" Ruby whispered, coming to a halt. She scanned the area around use, getting into a fighting stance and moving closer to me.

Grrrooowl

"Yeah, I'm hungry." Saved by my belly.

Ruby dropped her guard and looked at me in disbelief. "You're what?"

"Hungry. Starving. Famished." I took my bag off and started looking for a small snack. Ruby's expression changed to one of irritation right before she whacked me over the head. "Ow! Hey, what'd ya do that for?!"

"You have a thick skull; that shouldn't hurt too much."

"Tch, I don't get girls..." I muttered as I resumed my food search. "Aha!" I found something edible: the seeds I bought today. It wasn't much, but they should do.

Ruby raised an eye ridge. "Hmm? What kind of seeds are those?"

"I dunno, but who cares? Down the hatch." I tossed them into the air, opening my mouth wide to catch them. Any second now... Huh? They disappeared? I lowered my head, looking around myself to see where they fell, only to find that Ruby had them in her hands. "Hey, what's the big deal Ruby?! I paid good money for those!"

She ignored me, selecting one seed out of the bunch. Holding it up to the light, she looked at the surface with the most scrutiny I'd ever seen. "These are blast seeds," she said matter-of-factly, "The kernel explodes once the shell has been broken." To prove her point, she took the one she was examining and hurled it at a nearby boulder.

A loud bang resulted, making me fliinch and causing my ears to ring. The sudden burst of flames made me turn away by reflex, but everything died down just as quickly as it started. Looking back at the target, I felt my jaw drop. A large chunk was missing from its side, making the stone look as if it were screaming in pain. Smoke was still drifting upward from the many new cracks now present on it. A little seed did THAT? Ruby watched with mild interest, seemingly unfazed by the event. She tossed the remaining two seeds to me, and I rushed to catch them. In a panic, I fumbled with the explosives before managing to get a grip on them both.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I was finally able to speak, "Gee, uh, thanks for keeping my head from blowing up, Ruby."

"Don't thank me, I simply need you to guide me the rest of the way to Treasure Town."

"Y'know, you can be scary sometimes."

"Perhaps," She responded before slowly walking away. As she gained some distance, she called back over here shoulder, "A word of advice: if you don't wish to meet an unpleasant end, then I suggest you find something else to eat."

I looked back one last time at the unfortunate boulder, shuddering at the thought of what almost happened. "Don't worry, I lost my appetite."


	5. Camping Out

The evening light had just begun to envelop us, bringing with it the first chirps and trills of the forest's Bug-types. My companion and I happened upon a clearing near the road, and it looked to be as good a time as any to pack it in for the day.

"Shall we set up camp here for tonight?" I asked, gesturing to the small field.

"Oh, finally you say something!" Ace replied rather forcefully. I tilted my head in confusion, but he just waved off the subject. "Never mind, but why do you wanna stop here? We could be halfway there by midnight if we keep going."

We had been walking with barely any pause all day, and he wanted to keep going after dark?! Someone really needed to knock some sense into him, but that could wait. "As fun as that sounds, it wouldn't do either of us any good if we're traveling while half asleep."

I set my satchel and violin down after Ace muttered out a 'fine'. The grass was dry and fairly soft and, if we got a fire going, temperature wouldn't be an issue. I wouldn't have been surprised if this was a popular location to camp at. While I was thinking of where to find the materials for our bonfire, Ace decided to have another one of his bright ideas.

"Hey, Ruby! Fight me," Ace declared with as serious a face as he could muster.

I sighed, not liking where this was going. "May I ask why?"

"'Cause I wanna see if you're strong."

Brilliant, just what I needed after trekking several miles. Hopefully I would be able to talk my way out of this. "If I recall correctly, you asked me along because I am strong."

His resolute facade broke into a smirk. "Nope! I said you were tough. But if were both gonna be working at the same guild, I wanna see what you can do."

"And if I say 'no'?"

"Guess I'll just attack until you do something."

Fight back or be a practice target, hmm? Neither sounded appealing in the slightest. Left with very few options, I chose the lesser of two evils and moved to the edge of the clearing, praying that my possessions would be spared from harm. "Very well, but shouldn't you remove your bag first?"

Ace looked at his back, as if he'd forgotten he was still carrying it. He shrugged and replied, "Nah, it's all good. The extra weight'll help me get stronger."

Shaking my head in exasperation, I could see very few ways for this to not end in complete disaster. "You speak of 'toughness' and 'strength' as though they are different. Care to explain?"

Ace took his position opposite me, cracking a few of his joints before replying, "I don't know the book definitions, if that's what ya want; it's just my opinion. Toughness is your ability to take hits, and strength is your ability to dish 'em out." Fairly straightforward, although that sort of thought process seemed to fit this Bagon.

"And which do you value more?"

"Strength, of course! Why weather the storm when you can punch it in the eye?" Not that he'd be doing much punching with those limbs. "But enough chitchat, it's time for action. We start on my mark."

Ace crouched low to the ground, his head angled in my direction. His foot began digging into the ground, kicking up dirt and dust like a Tauros preparing to charge. I never had to fight before, but there was a first time for everything. Taking what I assumed to be a fighting stance, I brought my arms up to protect myself if necessary. I wouldn't have much time to react; I'd have to think on my feet.

"Now!" With that, Ace shot forward. I dived out of the way in surprise, just barely avoiding the collision. His momentum carried him head first into a tree, the audible impact causing several leaves to be shaken loose and a few branches to vibrate. Without so much as a wobble in his step, Ace stood upright, looking around in confusion. "Hey, where'd ya go?" After a bit of searching, he finally turned around. "Oh, there you are! Good reflexes, Ruby! Most aren't so lucky."

"There have been others?"

"Oh yeah! I guess I shoulda mentioned that I'm undefeated back home. Ninety-nine straight wins. Heh, no one could keep up with all this awesomeness."

His ego was getting the better of him, but I could see where it came from. The rate at which he closed the gap between us was staggering, much faster than I ever would have assumed him capable of. The simple fact that he was unfazed by his crash with the tree, at that speed no less, was astounding.

"That was just a warm up; no holding back now." Ace was smiling smugly as he prepared for another charge. "We may be far from Glimmer Cave, but I'm willing to call this win number one hundred."

I took a defensive stance once more, feeling confident that I knew what was coming. I would need perfect timing if I wanted to land a hit. "That implies you will defeat me." He let out a chuckle before going quiet. A tense moment passed as I waited for him to move.

"GRAAAH!" With a shout, Ace sprang forth, but I was expecting it this time. Stepping slightly to one side, I readied a counter-attack and-

"Well, well. What have we here?"

A new voice broke both Ace's and my concentration. Ace tripped over his own feet, face-planting in the grass and sliding to a stop just a few paces in front of me. I looked to see who interrupted our battle.

"Don't you remember? You said they were the fools we were gonna mug," came another voice, albeit one that sounded less intelligent.

"Shut it, Deino; I know what I said! Don't you know how to make an entrance?!" the former voice yelled back. From the woods emerged an individual with blue-black fur, forehead and chest each decorated with a yellow oval patch. All four of her limbs ended with a pair of razor-sharp claws, and red feather-like growths sprouted from her head and lower back. Her teeth were clenched as she glared back at someone with furious red eyes.

A few steps behind her, a quadruped ambled out of the thicket with a smile, completely unaware of the seething Pokémon next to him. Black fur covered much of his head, obscuring all but his blue mouth and body. I assumed this to be 'Deino'. "That's easy, Sneasel. You just take a hole in a wall and put a door in it. Boom! Instant entrance!"

"Just shut up! Honestly, you are the most idiotic..." Sneasel stopped herself, focusing back on Ace and I with a devious smirk. "So, what brings you two to a place like this."

Ace peeled himself off the ground and shot daggers at the newcomers, "What's it to ya? And what was that part about mugging us?"

Sneasel's sneer only intensified at that. "Let's just say that if you don't want to get hurt, you'll drop your bag and get lost." As she said that, she brought her claws up to help the message sink in.

"Yeah! Yeah! Drop it! Drop it!" Deino chimed in, completely misreading the tone of the situation.

I probably should have stopped Ace before he said anything, but I was too slow on that front. "As if I'd let a coupla morons tell me what to do!"

"Hyuh-hyuh! Hey, Sneasel! He just called you a moron, a-huh!"

"What's your point, Deino? He said the same about you."

It took a minute for Deino to process those words. "...Heeey, that's not nice!" Happy-go-lucky nature instantly replaced by rage, Deino gritted his teeth and stomped toward us. Sneasel stood by and observed what was about to unfold, a satisfied smirk working its way onto her face.

Ace, being Ace, moved forward to confront him. The two dragons met halfway between Sneasel and I, holding themselves in the most intimidating way possible. Ace glared at the slightly larger adversary and, despite his eyes being covered by fur, I was sure that Deino was mirroring the expression. Simultaneously, the two brought their heads back, before slamming them violently into one another, the collision of their skulls loud enough for all to hear. Literally butting heads, they pushed at each other with all their might.

"Heh... You're head sounds... just as hollow as I... expected." Even while in the heat of battle, Ace was still taunting? Predictably, this provocation only made Deino push back harder. It was obvious Ace was struggling against Deino's larger size; he was losing ground, heels digging into the soil for a foothold. I could see Ace's legs trembling, on the brink of giving out, and yet he continued to resist despite how futile it was to do so.

I was at a loss for what I could do to help, how I could possibly be useful. Ace was ready to crumple right before me, yet all I did was watch his foolish endeavor. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Sneasel slinking closer to the combatants, poised to strike the vulnerable Bagon. I needed no more motivation. I sprinted toward my companion, all the while praying that we would get out of this unscathed. Just as Sneasel pounced at Ace, I reached out and pulled him away from the two attackers. Deino lost his balance and stumbled forward, his front leg getting slashed by his own ally a second later.

"OW! Ow ow ow!" Deino shrieked in pain, "Why'd you go and do that, huh?!" He held the limb off the ground, a steady stream of red dripping onto the grass.

"Stop your complaining and GET THEM!" Sneasel clambered over her victim, intent on victory. Said Deino reluctantly limped after her, clearly wanting this to end soon.

Ace tried to enter the fray once more, but I held him back, opening his bag and looking through its contents.

"Hey, I appreciate the help, but do ya mind? I gotta teach these punks a lesson!" I ignored his protests and continued my search. Moving the map aside, I found what we needed: a blast seed. I removed it from the pouch and forced Ace behind me, holding the seed above my head with my free hand. Without another moment's hesitation, I slammed it into the ground in front of me.

The screams of the other three were drowned out by the deafening blast, and the fireball that erupted before us billowed out a cloud of black smoke just large enough to obscure us from view. Using the opportunity, I took Ace's arm and ran towards my possessions. Ace let out a yelp at first, but I gave him a look telling him to be quiet. With all haste, I gathered my belongings, and by the time the smoke cleared, we were out of the clearing.

"WHERE ARE THEY?!" Sneasel screeched. It was the last Ace and I heard from them as we ran as far away as we could.


	6. Camping Out (For Real)

Dusk had long since passed, but Ace and I were still on the move. With the moonlight to guide us, we kept to the forest, always keeping an eye on the trail, but never risking being seen by those thieves. Hopefully they lacked the incentive to pursue us for this long, but one could never be too careful. Continuing on our path, we reached the bank of a river, a rather secluded portion at that. We stopped at the water's edge, unable to proceed any further. A chilly breeze blew through the area, sending a shiver down my back.

"Yo, Ruby," Ace croaked, clearly fatigued from the day, "You mind if we stop here? My feet are killing me."

I figured we'd gone far enough to be safe for the night. With my consent, Ace flopped onto the ground, letting out a satisfied sigh. I let myself smile at the sight; wasn't this the Bagon that suggested we continue traveling through the dead of night? Shaking off my thoughts, I opened Ace's bag once more.

"Ever heard of personal space?" Ace grumbled out, not bothering to try stopping me this time.

"If we are going to rest here, we'll want a fire."

"I'm pretty sure I didn't pack one, if that's what your looking for." I begged to differ.

I recalled from my prior search through his pack that he had brought several wooden sticks. The sharpened ends suggested that they were intended to be used as weapons, but I had a different purpose for them. I removed the twigs in question, as well as the remaining blast seed, and put the items in a small pile, surrounding the stack with stones found by the water.

"Hey, Rube, I was wond-"

"What did you call me?" I interrupted, a slightly threatening tone in my voice.

"What, too soon for nicknames?" I rolled my eyes at that. "Whatever. I was gonna ask why we ran away."

"It was a lost cause. They were faster and stronger than us."

"Whaddya mean 'us'? I was doing just fine!"

Finished with the circle of rocks, I picked up the blast seed and took a few steps back. I hurled the seed at the pile of sticks, hoping that Sneasel and Deino weren't close enough to hear the explosion. Flames engulfed the wooden fuel, creating a crackling bonfire that glowed a glorious orange hue. Satisfied with the result I turned back to Ace. "You stubbornly refused to acknowledge you were fighting a losing battle. Had I not been there, you would have been at their mercy."

"Hey! I coulda handled it!"

"And what if you couldn't! We lack any form of medical treatment; an injury could prove fatal here!" I was furious to say the least; I'd had enough of his foolish pride for one day. My outburst was enough to silence the Bagon, and we let the murmurs of the stream fill the emptiness, giving emotions some time to settle. Returning my attention to the blaze, I added a few sticks that had found there way out of the pile, likely forced out by the blast.

Ace let out a sigh of resignation. "All right, I guess I might've let myself get a little carried away..." Was Ace being... humble? It was obvious that he was struggling to utter his next words. "So, uh, yeah, thanks for, you know... saving me..." He breathed a sigh of relief, as though a great weight had just been taken off his shoulders.

I wish I could say I was happy that he owned up, but it wouldn't feel right. I had something to get off my mind as well.

"...Please, don't thank me."

"Oh yeah, you only need me to get you to Treasure Town..."

"No, that's not the problem. I'm the one who should be thanking you." Well, there was no going back at this point. "You helped me out of a pitiful situation in Glimmer Cave. Were it not for you, I would be sleeping in a junkyard again tonight. I should be grateful for what you've done, yet here I am, scolding you like an immature child..." I turned away, not willing to let him see how ashamed of myself I was. "I'm... sorry."

No reply, not even a snappy remark. It was maddening waiting for a response. What was he thinking? Would he accept my apology?

"...You want something to eat?"

"Wh-what?" The question caught me by surprise. I faced the Bagon, only to find him pulling an assortment of fruits from his bag. Did he really ignore everything I said? My thoughts immediately turned to ones of irritation; how simple-minded could he be?!

With a smile, Ace tossed an apple and a berry my way, the two tumbling to a gentle halt in front of me. I glared at him, cursing his ignorance. Making a mental note to hit him later, I collected my meal. We sat by the river, watching the fire flicker as we ate. I went through my apple rather quickly, enjoying the feeling of having something to eat. Ace was eating much slower than I would've imagined, especially considering how much he was complaining about his hunger before. Passing it off as one of the great mysteries of this world, I moved on to the berry. It was a pink, heart-shaped fruit sprouting two leaves; a Pecha Berry, if I recalled correctly from my readings. Taking a bite, a mellowing sweetness came pouring forth, soothing my tired mind. It was enough to bring a small smile to my face and ease my worries from earlier.

I heard the soft rustle of grass next to me, and looked over to find another Pecha Berry. Shifting my gaze upward, Ace was still eating his apple, but there was a distinct lack of a berry by him. He caught my gaze out of the corner of his eye, "What? If you like 'em, go ahead and eat it. They're too sweet for my taste anyway."

"...Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Ace said, flashing me a smirk, "I only need ya to stop bein' such a downer." So he was listening...

"I'm not sure how much I can promise."

"Whatever you say, Rube." With that, he tossed what remained of his apple into his mouth.

That nickname had better not stick. I let it go for now, picking up the berry and savoring its blissful flavor; truly unlike anything I'd had back home.

"I've been meaning to ask," Ace began, eliciting a curious gaze from me, "how'd you get so smart?"

That came out of nowhere. "What do you mean?" I finished off my food and gave him my full attention.

"Whaddya mean 'what do you mean?' I'm talking 'bout how you know so much! In one day, ya took three of those explodey things and a buncha sticks and used 'em to blow up a rock, make a smoke bomb, and build a fire. How?!"

"I read."

"Read what?" All of these questions were giving me a sense of déjà vu. Wasn't it just earlier today that I was in a similar situation?

"Many things: journals, survival guides, information about species, and so on. There was no shortage of them in the junkyard." Strangely, in all my time down there, I had never seen a map of any sort among the refuse. Hence why I needed Ace; I would be lost if I tried to go alone.

"Species, eh? Anything about Bagon? Is there a whole book dedicated to our greatness?!" He held his head high, flexing his arms to try and inspire some sense of awe.

"There are some basics about them here and there, but nothing significant or noteworthy."

"Feh, damn book makers don't know a good story when they see it." It went without saying that he was irritated, but it didn't take long for his mood to return to normal. "Oh well," he stated lightheartedly, "guess I'll just have to give 'em something to write about."

I wouldn't have called his sense of optimism 'healthy,' but he wasn't letting anything put him down. Maybe I could learn a bit from him, just so long as I didn't get dragged into another dangerous situation.

A loud yawn escaped my companion. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm gonna hit the hay. G'night Ruby."

The Bagon stretched slightly before collapsing onto his back, closing his eyes for a departure to the world of dreams. Given today's events, he would certainly sleep well. After a few moments, he entered a steady, almost rhythmic breathing pattern, indicating he had left reality as we knew it.

It was just me and the fire now, accompanied only by the serenity of a silent night. A perfect time to reflect on the day. I opened my satchel, revealing the spine of a tattered and aged book. Gently freeing it from from the bag, I brought it closer to the dancing flame's light. The cover was blank and the pages were empty, but that would soon change. My hope was to keep a log of my time in Treasure Town, to one day look back and remember these as the first days of my new life. However, I saw no harm in starting a little early. After all, there would be plenty to write about for today's entry: meeting Ace, seeing the world for the first time, and almost being robbed. This would I set foot in was so strange, so dangerous, and so unpredictable. It was exciting, in a way, not knowing what was next.

"Z-Z-Z-z-z-z..."

Speaking of the unexpected, I looked to where my companion lay, finding him to still be in deep slumber. He'd taken to snoring, and it only seemed to be getting louder as the night drew on. So much for concentration. Seeing no progress to be made with the new distraction, I packed the book away; I could write what I remembered at a later date.

"Z-Z-z... heh... I'm aweso..." Ace muttered between breaths.

I couldn't help but smile at him. "Even in his dreams he still brags." Letting out a yawn myself, I settled down on the soft grass below. The pull of sleep was quickly winning in my fight for consciousness. "Goodnight Ace." With that, I drifted off into the realm of fantasies.


	7. Food Food Food

"Are we there yet?"

We'd been walking forever, and still no town. I know I was looking forward to this, but I never expected it to take so looong. I could tell that Rube was getting annoyed by all my complaining, especially since I asked that question twenty-something times or so, but what did she want from me? I was bored!

"You have the map, so why not tell me where we are?"

Crap, I forgot about that. I quickly had to make something up to hide the fact I still had no clue where we were. "Eheh, I was just messin'. Um, yeah, we should be getting close." I seriously hoped I was right about that. I may be strong, but the thought of that Mawile getting angry freaked even me out.

Ruby glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, staring with suspicion, but didn't say anything else.

It'd gotten pretty easy to tell what she was thinking, but it wasn't hard to begin with, honestly. Those freaky chompers showed more emotion than I ever saw out of her, making wider smiles and angrier frowns than the owner. With how Ruby acted, I had to wonder if she was even aware they were doing anything at all. Right now, her toothy friend was slightly drawn back into a snarl; I hadn't heard the last of this.

At least she seemed a little nicer today, relatively speaking. Most of the morning had gone by, and she hadn't threatened me once yet, not to mention I think I caught her smiling once or twice. She also seemed to have gotten over the whole fiasco with those two dimwits. Must've been the food last night. Yeah, food always perked me up after a day of training. Speaking of which, I'm starving. Flipping open the flap of my pack, I looked to see what I had to choose from. The variety was lacking, to say the least.

"Hey! Who ate all our food?!"

"What is your problem now?" Ruby moved to my side, joining me in staring at our almost nonexistent food supplies. Two apples and Oran Berries were all that were seen, enough to last only one more meal.

"There's only enough left for today! I swear I packed four days worth..." I trailed off, busy trying to figure out the math; how, after one day, we'd lost most of our grub. Hmm...

"Was that before or after you asked me along?"

"Before..." It took me a second to figure out what she was getting at. "Damn it." I did as much of a facepalm as I could; I didn't consider that two of us would go through rations twice as fast. That just figured; I was gonna slowly die of starvation in the middle of nowhere. I would fade from existence before I could wow the Pokémon of this world with my might. If that wasn't bad enough, Ruby would probably scold me about something to my dying breath. I could only groan at the thought.

Rube, on the other hand, simply smiled and shrugged it off. "Well, if we're as close to town as you say we are, this should hardly be a problem."

Damn, that was a low blow. She was baiting me, I knew she was. But if she knew we were lost, why wasn't she calling me out on it? Probably some kind of mind game of hers. Gah, all this thinking hurts.

"So, could you tell me more about our destination? Anything to look forward to?"

"Well..." And so began my long monologue of the many great wonders I'd heard the town had. I was kinda just talking, not putting much thought into what I said and exaggerating emotions to make it look like I cared. It was hard to get into it while starving to death was still on my mind. Maybe I could sneak a bite or two of apple...

* * *

"Damn it, that hurt..." So... I may have given into my hunger a little too early. Okay, I'll just say it: I tried to polish off what food we had left. Ruby was quick to put me in my place, and by that, I mean she slapped me. Hard. "Was that really necessary?" At this point I was busy nursing the swelling on my face, a stinging sensation pulsed every now and then.

"Only when you try to eat my share. Yours is of no concern to me." She moved ahead several paces, keeping the apple she now held out of my reach. Her Oran Berry wasn't so lucky, having been used for-in my opinion-a much nobler cause. I wish I could say it was worth it, but we were officially without any form of food save for one apple. Yeah, we were screwed, or at least I was; Ruby would be snacking on my grave. We coulda just turned around, but I wasn't about to swallow my pride. Stupid, I know, but it was just how I'd always been.

Waiting for our inevitable demise, I figured I take my last look at the scenery. The forest finally opened up a bit, making room for a wide plain. It was a lot sunnier once we got out in the open, and the warmth was way different compared to Glimmer Cave's cool and damp interior. Under a clear blue sky, the trail that I'd gotten tired of snaked up toward a hill, not ready to show us what was at its end. At the foot of the rise, a shabby old signpost was trying it's hardest to support two wooden planks.

Rube noticed the pathetic stack of lumber and insisisted we check it out. "It may give us a bit of guidance," she reasoned.

I wasn't too fond of the idea, mostly because I didn't need some log telling me how lost I was, but my throbbing face begged me to not argue with her right now. Giving my half-hearted agreement, we picked up pace. The sign itself looked worse up close, with cracks and splinters to be seen on any surface they could call home. The thing was even rotting! Sheesh, and Ruby thought it would be useful?

"Hmm..." she pondered over the green-brown wood.

I wasn't even gonna try and figure out what it said; the signboards were about as clear as my map. The top triangular plank pointed away from the hill, but all the letters were worn away and replaced by a mess of scratches and stains. Below it, an arrow-shaped sign pointed up the slope, and was only slightly easier to read. I could make out something like '...e...ure T...wn,' but that was just gibberish to me.

"Treasure Town?" Ruby guessed.

"Lessee, T-r-e-a-s-u... yup, it fits." A few seconds went by before I did a double take, realizing that she must've hit the answer on the head. Hunger was pushed to the back of my head, replaced with a new hope. "Treasure Town! That's it! It's gotta be just over that hill!"

Words couldn't describe the joy I felt, but that didn't stop me from trying. "WOOHOO! We aren't lost! Exploration guild, here I come!" I sprinted up the slope, clouds of dust being left in my wake. Rube yelled at me; something like "I knew you got us lost!" or whatever, but I chose to ignore her. I just kept running, but my motivation was unclear. Was I hurrying towards the excitement ahead, or away from the furious Mawile chasing me? I couldn't help smiling either way.


	8. Welcome!

"Ya know, I always thought that Treasure Town would be a bit more... I dunno, impressive?"

I wouldn't have put it quite like that, but Ace was correct in a way. While unenthusiastic at the time, my companion made Treasure Town out to be some great utopia, alive with activity. From our vantage point on the hilltop, the 'town' standing before us was anything but. A far cry from anything resembling a settlement, it looked to be little more than a dense forest composed of mighty trees. I had pondered whether this area was populated, but two aspects suggested as much. First was a well-kept bridge spanning a wide river. Said body of water seemed to be encircling the entire forest, perhaps serving as a sort of town boundary. Secondly was the occasional Pokémon leaving the mass of foliage, mostly by way of flight. Trying not to jump to any conclusions, I pushed my doubts out of mind.

"Just be glad we won't have to set up camp again tonight," I replied to Ace, beginning my descent down the hill. With each step, the forest seemed to grow ever taller, rising into the midday sky. On second thought, Ace's comment was far off the mark, as I struggled to think of anything more impressive than this.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, it's great that we found it," Ace remarked, half to keep the conversation going and half to cover his own tail, "I was just expecting Treasure Town to have fewer trees."

"Is there anything you won't complain about?"

"Hey! It ain't complaining! And yes, there are things I don't mind, like food, training, progress, food, and places with less trees."

"What do you have against trees?"

"Nothin'. I'm just tired of seeing 'em after all that walking before. Maybe we can chop a few down while we're-"

"No." I had to stop that idiot before he could complete his thought. It would be a miracle if we get through the day without Ace stirring up trouble.

We came to a halt just before the bridge, the scale of this piece of nature finally setting in. I looked up to the leafy towers that had eclipsed the sun, finding myself at a loss for words. It was a strange feeling, standing in the shadow of something so enormous. Humbling, almost, in a way that made you like little more than a Joltik. Even the loudmouth next to me was speechless, gazing up toward the canopy with mouth agape. How these trees had achieved such a size was anyone's guess, but it went without saying that nothing this imposing could be found in Glimmer Cave. The river below was a picture of tranquility, its waters clear and blue as the sky above. A pair of Magikarp swam by, but neither paid us any mind.

While Ace was preoccupied with admiring the woodlands, a large sign across the bridge caught my attention. Perhaps 'gateway' would have been a more appropriate term than 'sign', for it looked to be the town entrance. Its wooden span arched over a path that entered the forest, and across the top was a sign welcoming travelers with its bold red letters.

"This isn't Treasure Town."

"What?" Ace said in surprise, head snapping in my direction. I simply pointed to the bright red staring at us from across the river.

'Welcome to Verdure Town'

* * *

Once Ace was through shouting obscenities (and scaring away a few Pokémon), we made for the gate. Ace was ready to leave, seeing no pint in staying any longer. It seemed he forgot we were out of food and likely days away from the next town. With a little... persuasion on my part, he conceded. That didn't stop him from grumbling.

"Damn map... damn everything... what the heck is 'Ver-doo-ray' supposed to mean anyway?"

"It's 'Verdure,' now quiet down, someone's here."

An individual came forward to meet us. He was... strange, to say the least, in both appearance and behavior. His body was adorned with several colorful patterns, and he flew on yellow 'wings' that lacked any form of webbing or feathers. Perhaps the oddest part was how he just... appeared. I hadn't seen him before, but just as we apprached, he came out of hiding. Was he waiting?

"Wehehelcome!" He laughed out, his floating body shaking slightly as he did so, "I saw the Bagon's little meltdown. Everything alrihihight?"

"What's it to ya?" Ace was still irritated. I suppose I should have become accustomed to his attitude by now.

I decided to do the talking, if only to avoid getting involved in another fight caused by Ace's temper. "We're fine, and you are?"

If the Pokémon had a mouth, I assumed he would have smiled. "Sohoho glad you asked! I am the gatekeeper of Verdure Town, Sigilyph!" He got into a bout of maniacal laughter, leaving Ace and I to wonder what was so humorous.

My companion leaned over to me and whispered, "The dude's a nutjob."

Sigilyph settled down and continued, "How may I hehehelp you this fine day?"

"You said you guard Verdure Town, so does that mean it's in this forest?"

"Yehehes! Correct you are."

"Know anyplace we can crash?" Ace cut in. I was ready to hit him for his impoliteness when Sigilyph replied.

"A couple travelers should be able find a plahahace to sleep, but only one way to find out, yehehes?" He motioned for us to enter with prong-like arms.

"So, you aren't sure of there is an inn?" I questioned.

"It is not my job to knohohow. Sohohorry!" He didn't sound very sorry. Once more, Sigilyph gestured towards the entrance.

I was wary, unsure if this was a good idea. There was no evil in Sigilyph's eyes... or anything, for that matter. His three eyes just stared blankly ahead, hinting neither kindness nor malice. Either he was good at hiding emotions, or he just shows them some other way. Ace grew impatient and pushed me ahead, bringing us through the gate and into the woods.

As I began planning my revenge on the Bagon for interrupting my thoughts, Sigilyph's voice echoed from behind us. "Have fuhuhun!"


	9. Surreality

My first impression of Verdure Town? Otherworldly.

One would never know this by looking from the outside, but Verdure Town and the forest were one and the same. Shops and homes were built directly into the trunks of trees, and even more were held up by the lofty branches. How such a feat was accomplished was beyond me, and more perplexing was how healthy the trees looked despite having large portions carved out. Overhead, a network of rope bridges spanned the gaps between trees, connecting one home to another.

"I'd hate to be up there on a windy day," Ace chipped in. I silently agreed with him, the thought of all that mid-air swaying making me slightly nauseous.

However, this was all before we arrived at-what I assumed to be-the town plaza. A wide glade brimming with activity, we'd clearly arrived at the heart of Verdure. Passersby went on their merry way without a care in the world, a few forming groups to talk about whatever they wished. Children ran about, laughing as they made all manner of mischief. In a way, it was much like Glimmer Cave's marketplace on a good day. Thinking about it now, perhaps I could do a performance or two before we leave. There was less of an echo, but I had little doubt that the music would carry a fair distance. Any Poké it brought in wouldn't hurt either, but I digress.

The cobblestone pavement was overgrown with vegetation as nature worked to reclaim what it could. Like veins, shallow streams snaked through the clearing, pooling in some places before flowing further into town. At the plaza's center was a tree unlike the others we'd seen so far. It was tall, but not enough so to fit in with the rest of the forest. Its branches twisted elaborately and bore numerous leaves. More than that, it felt like the tree was radiating a form of energy. It was soothing, reassuring almost, as though I was having some of my unease settled. I unknowingly let out a contented sigh.

"Ya feel it too?" Ace inquired, "Weird, ain't it? Not 'gatekeeper Sigi-whatever' weird, but you get the point."

"Strange, yes, but no one else seems to care." Or notice, for that matter. Either Ace and I were going crazy, or this was perfectly normal. I found the latter case more favorable, at least for now. Questioning reality could come later. "Regardless, we'd best find a place to stay."

I hurried ahead, eager to get away from this odd feeling. I couldn't think clearly here. It was unnerving, disorienting even, being influenced by some unknown force, no matter how pleasant. I wove between the lively residents, muttering the occasional apology to those I cut off. I looked back to make sure my companion was keeping up, only to find him eyeing a Dragonair. That idiot.

"Ace! Focus!"

I was busy checking out this blue, snake-like chick when I heard Ruby yelling at me. I looked to her, only to be met with a disgusted glare. What'd I do? Ruby motioned for me to catch up, but she clearly wasn't looking where she was going. Case in point, she just bumped into some floating thing's bag, spilling papers everywhere. A startled Ruby fell to the ground, and I had to suppress a chuckle. I hurried over to the scene to make sure she wasn't too banged up.

"Yo, Rube! You okay?"

"Yes." Short and to the point. Yup, she's fine. "But more importantly, are you all right, miss? I'm very sorry for running into you."

Miss? Oh, right, the other half of the crash. In the center of the mess of papers stood-scratch that, floated-the victim. Looking back at us with red and yellow eyes was a floating turquoise... head? It didn't have any limbs that I could see, just a ruffled-skirt-like body. Encircling its 'neck' were several shiny red orbs. each of which was just hovering in place. A creepy necklace, maybe?

"Nishishi! Well, well, what have we here?" Definitely a girl, judging by the voice. "I spy two new faces in town, shishi!" She was smiling? Everything she had was scattered on the ground, and she was making small talk?

Ruby was just as confused as I was, but she went ahead and started picking up the mess. "I really am sorry about this, miss."

"Oh, don't worry about it. This happens more often than you'd think, shishi!" Damn it, that's an annoying laugh. It's hard to tell what was more irritating, her nonchalance or the pitch of her voice. "And don't bother yourself with the cleanup, either."

As she said this, all of the papers started glowing a faint blue. They began floating in midair and arranged themselves in order. Those that Ruby had already collected released themselves from her grip and joined the others. One by one, each document found its way back to the creepy girl's bag. Despite what I was witnessing, none of the townsfolk payed the event any mind. I shook my head hoping that I was seeing things, but nothing changed. Ruby looked about as weirded out as I felt.

"What the HECK was that?!" A sly wink from our mystery guest was my only response.

"How did you know we were new in town?" Rube was quick to change the subject. Maybe she was trying to protect her sanity after everything we've seen in this place.

"Nothing gets past me! I know this town inside-out and upside-down." Ruby was watching with a skeptical look, but said nothing as usual. "Also, there haven't been any of your kind around for a long time now. You two kind of stand out."

"That so? And just who are you supposed to be, ghost girl?" Rube shot me a glare, probably thinking I stepped outta line or something. A quick snap of Mister Toothy was enough to shut me up.

"Nishishi! The forceful type, hmm? You should know it's rude to ask a lady her name before giving your own... but, I'll let it slide, shishi!" With a flourish and a twirl, she began her introduction, voice filled with pride. "I am she who makes public the many happenings of this haven. With unwavering determination, I search for the truth. Never resting and never weary, for the news waits for no 'mon. Intelligent, artistic, and adorable! I am Sydney: journalist extraordinaire!"

She ended with a pose, facing the sky with sparkling eyes and a wide smile. Nothing was said. There really wasn't anything to say, in my opinion. How was I supposed to react? The display caught the attention of some shoppers, and I heard a runt ask why the floating head was talking to itself. Ruby continued to watch with an unreadable expression. I kinda worried that all the weirdness was overwhelming her, but a glance out of the corner of her eye confirmed that she was surviving.

Sydney looked back towards us. "This is the part where you're supposed to shower me with admiration, you know."

Nope still nothing. I wasn't feeling very awe-inspired. The small crowd started to disperse, with Little Miss Specter finally accepting that no one was impressed.

Ruby stepped forward once everyone else left. She hesitated slightly, but continued anyway. "You said you're familiar with this town."

Sydney perked up almost immediately, nearly shouting, "Yes! Anything you want to know, Mawile?"

"It's Ruby, and the rude one is Ace."

"Hey! I'm not rude!" I yelled back. Last I checked, she's the one who threatens me.

"Do you know where we might stay the night?"

"Nishishi! I can do you one better. How would you like the grand tour?"


	10. Verdure Town

I was beginning to regret letting the chatty ghost tag along. Okay, so she let us tag along, but my point stands. She is annoying. I get that she's trying to help a coupla wanderers get their bearings, but Sydney seemed to focus more on us than the town. Particularly, she was having a blast messing with Rube.

"Hey, Ruby! What's this thing on your back, huh?" Sydney chirped, nudging the object in question with her head. She quickly backed away as Ruby's jaws snapped at her, only to go back to poking the hunk of wood. Nice to see someone else getting the chomp treatment for once.

"Can you please get back to guiding us?" Ruby sighed, seemingly unaware of the little war between Sydney and Mr. Toothy.

"Huh? Oh, right! Almost forgot, shishi!" The ghost took a moment to check where we were, looking surprised that we still weren't in the plaza. "Nishi! Okay, let's do this! Welcome, visitors, to Sydney's Luxury Tour Service. I'll be your guide: the great, the-"

"Cut to the chase!" I interrupted. I couldn't take another long introduction.

"Nishi, okay! So, over there is Ambipom's General Store." With one of her hair-like tendrils, Sydney gestured toward a fancy looking stall. Unlike the other buildings, it was set up between trees rather than in one. "As you'd guess, that's your go-to place for supplies. Which reminds me, hang on. I have an errand." She moved toward the stand, Rube and I trailing slightly behind her. A purple mass was slumped over the counter, a soft snore coming out as it exhaled. Looks like the owner was sleeping.

"Is the dude okay? Rough night?"

"Nishishi! Ambipom's fine, it's normal. He probably downed a bit too much berry juice last night. Again..." She tried prodding the lump, asking us to try helping. We were met only with soft moans before the snoring took over again. A small puddle of drool was forming on the counter... Sydney shook her head while still managing a chuckle. With that glowy blue thing from before, Miss Spooky pulled some Poké out from her bag and dropped it on the countertop. "Nishi, one bottle of Octillery ink, please."

Before I had a chance to question her logic, two swollen hands rose from behind the purple blob. One reached to a shelf in the back, bringing up a glass bottle filled with a black liquid and handing it to Sydney. The other picked up the Poké and dropped it somewhere in the back. Ambipom kept snoring.

"Thank you, shishi! Okay, back to the tour!"

I heard the shopkeeper mutter out "Come again..." before drifting off once more.

I waited 'till we were a good ways away from the store before I spoke up, "Damn, that's one owner dedicated to the job." Rube gave a hum in agreement, looking back to see if the guy woke up yet.

"Who, Ambipom? He's not the owner. Most here just call it Ambipom's store because you can always find him sleeping there, shishi!"

Ruby took this opportunity to join the conversation, "Then doesn't the owner get annoyed by it?"

"Nishishi, you have no idea. Everyone knows when the owner is back in town because of the yelling, shishi. Ambipom only keeps his job because he can work while asleep. I hear he learned to do it after his third verbal lashing."

"Heheh, imagine if I could fight while I slept. I'd be unstoppable!"

"What is the ink for, if I may ask?" Hey! Don't change the subject Rube.

"That story can wait for later. I still have one more stop to make while I show you around town."

"Well, get to showin'."

And show she did. She took Rube and I around turn after turn to show us what she liked to call 'hotspots.' The post office, some places to eat, the river... Sydney even took us through their trading post. I had to stop the tour when she suggested we head to the upper level of the forest. Don't ask why. No one pushed the subject and we went on in another direction. What caught Ruby's attention was a large garden in a clearing we passed. Musta liked the look of it, because she kept looking back at it until it was out of sight. For all the weirdness, this town was decent. Kinda reminded me of an above-ground home.

"...And over there is the dojo..."

"Dojo?!" That got my attention. She'd been rambling on about pointless locations for so long, but a dojo was my kinda thing.

She gestured to a massive stump. It was missing the rest of the tree, but it was easily one of the largest buildings we'd seen so far. Its only decorations were a pair of torches and a simple sign that framed the entrance. It felt like it was giving off a vibe of pure awesomeness. "Nishishi, yeah, it's where any battle-hungry Pokémon can go to get their fill without causing a scene. It was actually the warden who set it up to keep unsupervised conflicts to a minimum. From what I've heard, you can also receive guidance to hone your skills."

"Wicked... Let's go!" I ran for the doorway, ready to own the ring. After only two steps a faint glow covered my body.

"Nope, shishi! My stop is just over there." With her blue magic, she caused me to float off the ground and carried me along behind her. I could only look longingly back at the dojo while protesting. "It won't be so bad, shishi! I just need some berries and then we'll be on our way."

"Weren't there berries back at the store?" Ruby asked, slowing down a bit to try yanking me from Sydney's psychic grip. The two of us combined still couldn't break me free.

"Of course, but anyone in the know knows this is the place to go, nishi!" A few minutes of struggling and I'd just about given up. I thought I was stuck until... "We're here!" Her focus lost, the blue glow faded and I fell to the dirt, grass getting into my nose and mouth. Spitting the blades out, I overheard Rube asking where 'here' was.

The building was the typical giant tree with a door, surrounded by a variety of of bushes and flowers. At the top of the door, written in a disturbingly bright shade of pink, were the words 'Fantastic Flowers.'

"Flowers? Ya took me away from a dojo to visit a flower shop?!"

Apparently, being ignored was becoming a trend, because Ghosty went ahead and pushed open the door without answering, a small bell rang as it creaked open. Rube followed, likely out of curiosity. Not wanting to be alone in this place, I felt I had no choice but to do the same. Immediately entering the shop we were greeted by a sweet scent. Not what I would have liked, to be honest, but what would I expect from a flower store? Blossoms and other plants of every imaginable shape and size were displayed on shelves and hanging from the ceiling. Colors from orange to blue to I-don't-know what could be found spread all over. At the far end of the room, I spotted a particularly big red flower that was moving. It turned to face us.

"Oh, customers! So sorry, I didn't hear you come in. Welcome, welcome to Fantastic Flowers! Please, make yourselves at home. Let me show you what we have to offer!" With stubby blue arms, she rushed over with a small potted tree with blue flowers. Not wasting a second, she shoved the blooms in my face. "This is an Oran Berry tree! Isn't it the most adorable guy you've ever seen? Oh, and one day he'll grow into a big, strong tree, wontcha little guy?"

Uh... this lady was seriously weirding me out. I looked to the other two with pleading eyes, with no help in sight. Rube was looking at other flowers, and Sydney was giggling at my expense.

"Oh, and if you look at the branch here-"

"Miss Vileplume, I've asked you before to tone down your greetings." A low voice came from a doorway leading to another room. From it emerged a green reptile dude with leaves on his body. A Grovyle, now that I think hard on it. He carried in a small bag and set it down on a nearby counter. With a bit of force, he pulled Vileplume away from my face.

Vileplume didn't lose the smile on her face, her voice taking on a more playful tone, "And how many times have I asked you, Leif, to call me Dalia?"

"It is not very professional," Leif muttered.

"Please? I'm your boss, and I command you to do so!"

Before their conversation could be taken further, the ghost girl decided to speak her part. "Hiya, Leif! You look well, nishi!"

Leif nodded back with a subtle but sincere smile, "As do you; peppy as ever. And I see you've brought some friends. What can we help you with?" Sydney just pointed at the Grovyle's bag. I'm not sure what that was supposed to mean, but apparently the green dude did. Opening the pouch, he spilled its contents onto the counter, revealing a couple dozen berries. Sydney bolted forward and eyed them closely, letting out 'oohs' and 'ahs' for whatever reason.

"What's so special 'bout these?"

"Nishishi! These, my dear Bagon, are some of the freshest berries you'll find in these parts." I was doubtful, to say the least. They looked like ordinary berries, stuff I'd eat all the time. "He even finds a few exotic varieties from time to time!"

Dalia chimed in, "Lil' Leif here likes to collect things whilst out and about. Mostly seeds and berries he finds here and there. It's thanks to him that my shop has so many friends, like that little Oran Berry tree! Oh, he's such a big help!"

"You may try one, if you like," Leif offered. Ruby, being too polite for her own good, declined. I took the opportunity, reaching for a plump red berry. It had awesome spikes, so it was perfect for someone like me, right? Sydney and Leif both tried to stop me, but I ate it before noticing them.

"Hmph, not bad. Not bad at all."

The Grovyle looked stupefied, "Did you really just eat a whole Tomato Berry?"

"Uh, maybe. Why?"

Sydney sounded a bit more impressed, "Those things are super spicy! I've seen a Poliwag breath fire after eating one. Of corse, that was before he passed out. How'd you do it?!"

"What, I just like spicy stuff. How much for the rest?"

"1000 Poké," Leif stated flatly.

I felt my jaw drop slightly. "I've only got 100. How come they're so expensive?!"

The Grovyle hummed in thought for a moment, then answered, "As Sydney said, they are hard to come by and very valuable. To be honest, mine are the least expensive you will find. I apologize."

I turned away, trying not to look disappointed. If I didn't have any pride or shame I would've asked Ruby to chip in. Of course, that probably wouldn't end well anyway. It'd be best to give up on it.

I heard the clink of money and some shuffling behind me. "Here you go, nishi!" Five of the spiny berries floated in front of me. I felt my bag open, followed by the berries placing themselves inside of it. I turned around to see Sydney floating some others over to Ruby before stashing the rest away in her own bag.

"W-What? W-we can't possibly accept this!" Ruby nearly screamed, "We have no way to repay you!" A bit of an overreaction if you ask me, but I avoiding laughing when her voice cracked.

"Nishishi, no worries! No harm in splurging once in a while. Think of it as a welcoming gift." Rube shifted on her feet, still not comfortable with this. Admittedly, I was a little nervous too. I mean, she just dropped some serious Poké for us, of course this is awkward. The new weight in my bag felt like a couple pounds of guilt dragging me down. The ghost clearly took notice. "Well..." she drew out with a smirk, "If you insist on repaying me, you can do so by staying the night at my place, shishi!"

"Pardon?" Ruby squeaked. "What?" I asked at the exact same time.

"C'mon, it'll be fun, shishi!"


	11. Guests of Honor

Chapter 11: Guests of Honor

I would never admit this out loud, but Sydney's place reminded me of the junkyard I'd called home, albeit slightly cleaner. Small piles of newspapers sat at the base of the walls, writing utensils were scattered here and there, and books seemed to be everywhere except on her bookshelves. If it weren't for the light shining through a carved out window, I would have stepped in a small puddle of thick, black ink. This room had a story to tell, but it was probably buried under everything else. The mess didn't seem bother Sydney, but considering she doesn't exactly walk she might not even notice it. Hopefully Ace wouldn't say anything too insulting.

"Nishishi, welcome to my humble home! It's nice, I know; no need for compliments." She spun around, looking at Ace and I with a bit of confusion, "Sorry if this is sudden, but I never did ask, what brings you two to Verdure?" The puzzlement then melted into a sly smile, "Here for a romantic getaway with your significant other?"

"WHA-GAK!" Ace choked on a berry he was eating, his face turning red either from embarrassment or suffocation. Or some combination of the two. I tried to look more irritated than anything else, but I had a feeling I was doing just as well as Ace. I rushed over to help, wrapping my arms around his stomach to force him into coughing the fruit up. With a bit of difficulty, he managed to get it down, but from his expression I gathered it was painful. "What kinda crap are you trying to pull, ghost girl?!" He yelled between gasps for air. The target of his rage bolted into another room, returning shortly with a glass of water. It was gone once it reached Ace.

Sydney was having too much fun at our expense, "Nishishishi! Sorry, sorry! I was just teasing, shishi!" We glared at her and were met with a sheepish grin. I sighed and Ace grumbled, but we let it go for now. Ace still looked a little flushed. "But really, why are you here? Tourist season is still a while off." She circled us, a fold of her skirt held to her chin in (what I assumed to be) thought. "Then again, you two don't look like tourists..."

"We got lost on our way to Treasure Town," Ace responded.

"We?" I said sharply, to which Ace audibly gulped.

"Treasure Town! That brings back memories..." Sydney drifted off with the ghost of a smile on her face. She noticed our curiosity and clarified, "I used to live there before I had to relocate for work. I'd tell you the directions if I knew them myself, nishi!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Ace exclaimed right in my ear, "You're sayin' that ya lived there, but ya don't know how to get there?! How does that work?"

"Not a clue, to be honest. I mostly travel by gut feeling; call it a reporter's instinct. I just know where I have to be, but I can't give that kind of direction to someone else. Sorry, shishi!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine..." Ace let it a heavy sigh. For a moment he looked almost defeated, but I passed it off as a trick of the light. He would probably bounce back with some outlandish plan tomorrow.

"Okay, that's enough moping for today, shishi! You're my guests, so I command you to make yourselves comfortable!"

"Plagiarizing Vileplume, are we?" She winked at me in response.

"Nishishi, you two can roam this room for a bit. I still need to get a couple of beds set up. It isn't much, but feel free to read anything you find. There might even be a few articles on Treasure Town." With that, Sydney literally vanished into the next room, leaving Ace and I to our own devices.

I immediately went for the closest stack of papers, flipping through several pages of news articles. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ace shifting on his feet, looking like he didn't quite know what to do with himself. Either he couldn't read or he wanted to ask something.

"What is it?" He jumped slightly; unusual in itself for him.

"Oh, I, um... What the ghost girl said and, uh... Th-thanks for helping me not die again..."

I kept looking at the words in front of me, but my focus was on him. In as serious a tone as I could muster I said, "I've asked you to not thank me before. Besides, it didn't happen. That conversation never leaves this place." I sent a silent, toothy threat his way to make sure he'd forget.

"R-right," He stuttered. Ace cleared his throat before speaking again in his usual, gruff manner, "Anyways, guess we'll be stayin' in town 'till we get some directions. Hmph, I'm getting tired of waiting around."

"If you're in such a hurry, try helping me look for an article on Treasure Town."

He stomped over to pile of newspapers at the opposite end of the room, allowing me to read in peace. I whispered a soft "You're welcome" before returning to the articles I found. Skimming through page after page, titles of varying interest flickered across my line of vision: New Reporter Takes Verdure by Storm, A Warden's Plan to Keep the Peace, World Saved from Brink of Destruction, Civilians on Edge after Bandit... wait...

Sydney chose that moment to come back. "Sorry for the wait, you two. I hope you weren't too bored without me, shishi! Hmm? Whatcha got there, Ruby?"

It took a second to realize she was talking to me, "What... What is this about the world almost being destroyed?"

"What?! Rube, what are going on about? Gimme that!" Ace swiped the article from my hands, his eyes darting across the first few lines before getting a baffled expression that equaled my own.

We both waited for Sydney to explain, but she seemed shocked that we were even asking. "You two don't know? Come on, everyone knows what happened, shishi! What, have you been living in a cave?"

"..."

"...Oh," she giggled nervously at her awkward situation, "Well, I guess I can fill you in. It started about five years ago, give or take a few seasons..."

Sydney ended up giving us a crash course in above-ground events from the recent years. She spent a great deal of time talking about time travel and time gears and a Pokemon named Darkrai. Oh, and to top it all off, the world was nearly destroyed twice. Just what else did Ace and I miss while underground? There was a flood of information to absorb, but it was still interesting and eye-opening. Ace fell asleep while standing up a few times, coming to when Sydney mentioned the "two heroes" and Darkrai. "When can I take 'em on in a fight?" he'd ask before dozing again. By the time the story wrapped up, the sky was nearly pitch-black, I had lost feeling in my legs, and Ace was face-down on the floor.

"Nishishi! I didn't mean for that to go on so long. I just can't resist telling a story when there's one to be told, shishi! But maybe I should show you to your room before I put your little Bagon friend into a coma."

I got onto my knees and nudged Ace awake. He groggily pulled his face off of the floor and scanned the room with tired eyes. "Did I win?" I only shook my head and pulled him onto his feet.

Sydney giggled before motioning us into another room, "Here is where you'll be sleeping tonight, shishi!" I was pleased to see the room mostly free of clutter. Where I was expecting a pile of papers was instead a modest low table, and books were stacked neatly rather than tossed aside. I looked back to make sure the disorder of the last room wasn't a hallucination. It was strange how a single wall separated order from chaos. My attention was brought back to our host as she spoke, "Nishishi, it's been a while since I've had guests, but settle in! I'll get some food ready." Apparently 'getting food ready' meant spilling her bag of berries onto the table. Ace was quick enough to catch a couple that rolled off. "Help yourself, it's too late for me to whip up anything proper, shishi!"

"Sweet!" Ace exclaimed.

* * *

"...Hey, Rube. You asleep yet?"

"I was until you woke me up."

"Heh, sorry 'bout that."

"What do you want now?"

"Sheesh, you really aren't one for small talk, are ya?"

"Not at this time of night."

"Whatever. How long do you think we'll be here? We can't stay with the ghost girl forever and we're kinda lacking in the supply department."

"It's best that we figure out what's ahead of us before we start panicking. We can look for a lead in the morning."

"Hmph, always logic with you."

"Naturally."

"...Rube?"

"How long are you going to keep calling me that?"

"Until I can think of a better name. But anyway, thanks for coming with me and sticking it out for this long."

"Don't-"

"Stop with the modesty crap. You've helped me and I'm showing gratitude. The only thing that hurts my pride more than being helped is not being able to repay it."

"...You're welcome, and thank you."

"For what?"

"For putting up with me for so long."

"Heh, not a problem."

"..."

"Rube?"

"Now what?"

"I still wanna finish our fight from earlier."

"You're still stuck on that?"

"Is that fear I hear in your voice?"

"...You wish."

"I'll take that as a 'challenge accepted.' See ya in the morning, Rube."

"Good night to you too, Ace."

"..."

"..."

"Nishishi, you two are adorable!"

"SYDNEY!?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** **Hello, readers! This is the first author's note in my fanfic and I'll try to keep it short. Thank you to the few who have kept up so far; it's nice that this story appeals to some, and that's more than I could ever ask for. If I see questions that need answering, I'll do my best to clear things up in these notes.**

 **On that note, I'll answer a review left by Richard Guilford:**

 **The "ghost girl" is a Misdreavus by the name of Sydney. The nickname is just from Ace being... well, Ace.  
** **I tried to make the species somewhat obvious by the description, but I'm still working out a lot (and I mean a lot) of kinks in my writing. Sorry for any confusion.**

 **Thank you guys once more for reading!**


	12. A New Day

"Ugh... Mornin' already?" I woke to the sound of high-pitched chirping. An annoying bird decided to do its little song and dance right outside the window. I was just about to give it a piece of my mind before wing flaps told me it left. "Damn bird..." I looked outside, trying to figure out how early it was. All the trees made it impossible to see the sun, but light still managed to get in. My stomach growled, so it must've been around breakfast time. What was there to eat...?

"Hey Rube, do ya think the ghost's got..." I trailed off, noticing that I was alone in the room. "Rube?" her bed was empty, save for her bag and violin. Any thought of messing with her stuff was quickly stopped by my survival instincts. I chose the safer route of looking for Miss Spooky, but my search came up empty. I was somewhere between irritated and worried. "Did they ditch me, or what?" I was ready to start breaking walls to see if the ghost was hiding in them, but from the front room came the creak of the door.

"Thank you again, Sydney." Rube's voice drifted through the house.

"Nishishi, no need to be so formal. But you're quite welcome. Now, do you think that oaf is awake yet?"

"Yes I am." I took that moment to step into the room with them. The ghost girl looked a little sheepish about me hearing her comment, but still managed to laugh it off.

"Nishi, at least you aren't wasting the day away in bed, right?"

"Did I miss something? Ya coulda told me you'd be out."

They both tilted their heads in confusion... well, the ghost tilted her entire body, but whatever. Ruby spoke somewhat uncertainly, "But we did-"

"Nishi! I've got it!" the ghost cut in, rummaging through her bag, "I was gonna leave a note for you, but I sort of forgot to. Oops, shishi! Um... here it is!" A folded sheet of paper floated over to me, unfolding just in front of my face:

 _Ace,  
_ _Ruby and I went out for a little errand. You were sleeping so soundly that she told me not to wake you. We shouldn't be gone too long.  
_ _Sincerely,  
_ _Sydney, Reporter Extraordinaire  
_ _P.S. Ruby says not to touch her things or you will regret it._

A lot of good that info does me now. When I finished reading, Sydney tossed the letter into one of the many piles of paper nearby. "Sorry if you're hungry. I should have a meal ready in a bit." She then hovered through a wall going to who-knows-where. Rube wandered over to her stuff to give it all a once-over. I realized that something seemed... different about her.

"Hey Rube, what happened to ya? You look, like, not like a complete mess anymore."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Her glare was cold as usual, but I just kept talking like the idiot I was.

"I guess, I mean ya aren't covered in dirt now. It's not a bad thing, just... different."

Her gaze softened, but barely. "...Sydney thought I should clean up while we were here. It's part of why we were gone this morning."

"Hmph..." I grunted in acknowledgement, "Ya look good."

She became self-conscious at that, trying to look busy with whatever she had on hand, "Thanks..." I see why Miss Spooky gets a kick out of messing with her; the reactions are priceless! I opened my mouth to milk the opportunity when suddenly...

"Hey! What do you think you're doing in _my_ house!?" the ghost girl yelled. Loud banging and scratching could be heard one room over, as well as the sound of something shattering. A new voice tried to cry out in fear, only to be cut off by another thud. I ran for the source of the noise, but it died down just as quickly as it started. From the other room came the ghost girl with a new buddy, a flailing yellow... thing. It was being held upside down with that creepy blue glow.

"Let me go! Let me go right now!" The new guy screamed. With him closer I was able to pick out black stripes here and there, as well as two squarish horns.

"Who's your friend?" I asked Sydney, not taking my eye off of the Pokémon in question. He grew tired of struggling and just hung limply in the air. He was leering at me something fierce, but I'd seen tougher.

"I found this Elekid hiding in a cabinet with _my_ Poké," she glared at her prisoner at that last part, "But the fella' couldn't hide from me."

Rube stepped toward the Elekid, reaching for a bag dangling from his arm. "I suggest you return what you've stolen, or else," she said sharply. The thief swung one of his thick arms at her, just barely missing Rube.

"Ha, you wish, runt! I don't take orders! Do you have any idea who you're messing with here, huh?" the crook proclaimed, showing off as much ego as he could in his situation.

His smug smirk faltered as the ghost brought his face up to eye level with herself. "Nishishi, oh, do tell. Your mug shot is gonna look so good in the article I write about you, but it'd be shame to not have a name to go with the face."

The Elekid started spinning his arms wildly. It looked like he was starting to panic or something until I started seeing sparks coming off of him. "Let... me... GO!" Without warning, a bolt of electricity struck the reporter. She crumpled into a twitching lump on the floor, freeing her attacker from her grip. The Elekid ran for the door, laughing like an annoying brat. I didn't think; I just ran after the jerk. The last I saw of Rube before I was outside was her tending to the ghost.

"Get back here, ya dirty coward!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. That jerk was surprisingly fast, or maybe I was just pathetically slow. Either way, I lost sight of him pretty quickly. With no better plan, I took a wild guess at where he went and ran that way. I didn't care that everyone I passed was looking at me like some weirdo. No coward was gonna get away from me.

* * *

I can't believe Ace just ran out like that! Okay, maybe I can, but isn't the injured Pokémon more important than what was stolen?

"Nishishi... He sure is impulsive..." Sydney's voice cut off my thoughts. She was smirking despite the circumstances. I asked if she was all right, but she shook off my worry, pulling herself back into the air. "I was caught off guard is all, shishi... I should've seen that coming, but what can you do? Don't pay me any mind right now, Ruby..." She turned to face the door, "I have a feeling your friend is going to get lost sooner or later, shishi. It'd be a shame if someone didn't find him before that happens."

I could take the hint. I ran for the door, assuring the Misdreavus that we would return soon. Before I stepped out, she gave me one last request: "Give that Elekid my regards if you can, shishi!" I stood outside her house for a time, thinking of the most likely places that Ace and the Elekid would have run to. That Bagon may have no sense of direction, but I remembered much of the town from Sydney's tour. A criminal would probably go somewhere with few bystanders, somewhere like...

"Ha ha ha," a familiar laugh came from a nearby tree. It was the Elekid, no doubt, but so close to the crime scene? I sneaked closer to the source, not wanting to lose the element of surprise. "What a moron that Bagon was," he gloated to himself, "Didn't even see me!; this was too easy!" I peered around the trunk and, sure enough, there sat the thief with his prize. He jiggled the bag of money a little, grinning widely at the metal clattering inside. I would have to move soon; he would likely leave any second now.. I made a hasty decision and pounced on the unsuspecting Pokémon. "What the-!?" I tackled him to the ground, but I wasn't quick enough. My reach fell short, just missing his bag. The Elekid threw me off of himself with startling ease. We both got back on our feet quickly. "You again!? I thought I told you not to mess with me, runt!" I held my ground, considering my next best step toward retrieving Sydney's Poké. He began spinning his arms in large circles, just like he did before Sydney... oh no. I jumped to the side just as he shot a spark of electricity at me. It missed, charring the grass where I had just been. The Elekid took the opportunity to escape, running deeper into the forest. I let out a sigh before pursuing. I would have to find Ace later.

We wove through dense foliage, the Elekid and I. Something told me that he was lost, but I wouldn't rely on a gut feeling alone. Once or twice he tried to zap me with another bolt of electricity, but his panic made every attempt miss. He knew I was catching up; his attacks tiring himself just enough to slow him down. After one more turn we came to a sudden stop. The Elekid was trapped. The forest ahead of him was too thick, the trees growing too closely together, for his round frame to fit through. He turned quickly back in my direction, realizing the only way to freedom was through me. His glare assured me that this would not end easily.

"That's enough, runt!" the Elekid declared while pointing a claw at me, "No more runnin'. Let's settle this the old-fashioned way." He grinned darkly, throwing the bag of money into the woods where neither he nor I could reach. He spun his arms wildly, sparks flickering atop his horns. I tried to recall what little practice I had with Ace. While they might go about their fighting differently, this thief seemed about as reckless as that Bagon, and that might be all I would need. Filled with nervousness and resolve, I prepared for the inevitable. "Eat thunderbolt!" He yelled, giving me barely any time to react. I rushed to one side as the earth beside me exploded. I didn't have time to be in awe of the power; he began attacking rapid-fire. I tried to work my way closer while dodging, closing the distance with each step. Just as I was within striking distance the Elekid stopped his onslaught. "Gotcha!" He brought his arm to one side, fist crackling like lightning. He smirked at my surprise before swinging his arm in a wide sweep. I just managed to backstep out of range. Tripping over myself, I stumbled back to a safer range. His laugh taunted me as I got back on my feet.

"Tch, a little better at improvising than Ace..." I muttered, finally able to catch my breath. The Elekid was already charging up his next round of thunderbolts. I ran before the first shot fired, looking for another opportunity to get in close. "And what will I do then?" I thought to myself. Of course I knew I'd have to think about that as I dodged; standing around definitely wasn't an option.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well, I have a bit to apologize for. First of all, sorry to anyone who was waiting for this chapter. I know it took longer than usual for me to finish writing it, but it _really_ didn't want to be written. My new job, various distractions, and my lack of experience with action-y scenes led to... this.**

 **Next, I am very sorry for the quality of the writing. I now my story was dry to begin with, but I'm pretty sure this chapter took it to a whole new level (and not in a good way).**

 **Finally, I apologize in advance for the infrequency of future updates. This fic is by no means dead, and I will continue to work on it in what time I have, but progress might be slow for a few months.**

 **Until next time!**


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